THE CHILDREN’S 
CHRISTMAS CONVENTION 


A Christmas Service 


Jor Baptust Sunday Schools 


By 


AVERY ALBERT SHAW 


Baptist BoaRD OF EDUCATION 
DEPARTMENT OF MIssIONARY EDUCATION 
276 FirtH Avenue, New York City 
in Co-operation with 
The American Baptist Home Mission Society 
Woman’s American Baptist Home Mission Society 


The Children’s Christmas Convention 
By Avery Albert Shaw 


ORDER OF SERVICE 
The Superintendent presiding 


I. Organ Prelude—“The Shepherds in the Field”—Malling 
II. Carol—“’Tis Christmas Day” 


(Choir of Boys and Girls singing outside, or in another room) 


III. Carol Processional—(Optional) 
“As with Gladness Men of Old” 


IV; Inbvocation—By the Pastor 
V. Response—By the School (Tune, St. Louis) 


““O holy Child of Bethlehem, 
Descend to us, we pray; 
Cast out our sin, and enter in, 

Be born in us to-day. 
We hear the Christmas angels 
The great glad tidings tell; 
O come to us, abide with us, 
Our Lord Emmanuel.’’ 


PHILLIPS BRooKs 


VI. Dib Cestament Responsive Reading: 


LEADER: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that 
bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings 


of good. 


ScHoo.: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jeru- 
salem: behold, thy king cometh unto thee; lowly, and riding upon an ass. 


LEADER: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the 


government shall be upon his shoulder; 


ScuooLt: And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty 


God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 


LEADER: Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be 


no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom. 


ScHoon.: To establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteous- 


ness from henceforth even for ever. 


LEeapER: The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah 


hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; 


ScHooL: He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim 
liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are 


bound ; 


LEADER: He will have pity on the poor and needy, 
And the souls of the needy he will save. 


ScHoot: He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence; 
And precious will their blood be in his sight; 


LEADER: His name shall endure for ever; 
His name shall be continued as long as the sun: 


9° 
~~ 


Vil. 


AGB K 


IX. 


ScHooL: And men shall be blessed in him; 
All nations shall call him happy. 


LEADER: Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we 
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

ScHooL: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for . 
our iniquities; 

LEADER: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes 
we are healed. 


ScHoot: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one 
to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 


)Hymn—“Joy to the World! the Lord is Come”—By the entire 
School 


jQ2em Cestament Exercise: 


(Two Senior Boys and two Senior Girls) 


1. The Magnificat, Luke 1:39-56 

2. The Story of the Birth of Jesus, Luke 2:1-7 
3. The Story of the Shepherds, Luke 2:9-20 

4. The Visit of the Magi, Matt. 2:1-12 


Carol—“The First Noel”—By the School. 


1. The first Noel the angel did say 
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; 
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep, 
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep. 


Refrain: 
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, 
Born is the King of Israel. 


bo 


. They looked up and saw a star 
Shining in the east, beyond them far, 
And to the earth it gave great light, 
And so it continued both day and night. 


Refrain: 


3. And by the light of that same star, 
Three wise-men came from country far; 
To seek for a king was their intent, 
And to follow the star wherever it went. 


Refrain: 


4, This star drew nigh to the north-west, 
O’er Bethlehem it took its rest, 
And there it did both stop and stay, 
Right over the place where Jesus lay. 


Refrain: 
5. Then entered in those wise-men three, 
Fell reverently upon the knee, 
And offered there, in his presence, 
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense, 


Refrain: 
3 


X. Prapyer—By the Pastor (or some one else) 
XI. Gtercige—The Children’s Christmas Convention 


1. Introduction of President of Convention, by the Superintendent of School. 


2. ‘We Three Kings of Orient Are’’ f 
(Verses to be sung by 3 Senior Boys in Costume, everyone joining in 
Chorus) 

CHORUS: 


O star of wonder, star of night, 
Star with royal beauty bright, 
Westward leading, still proceeding, 
Guide us to thy perfect light. 
Amen. 


. Keynote Address (Intermediate Boy or Girl) 
. Recitation by Kindergarten Boy 
. President’s Address 
. Reports of Committees: 
a. Cradle Robbers 
Song, ‘‘The First Christmas,’’ by Kindergarten, preceding this report. 


b. Child Laborers 
Pierre Le Beau 
Theresa Zummo 
Polish Girl 
John and Mary Hunyadi 


7. Solo—Negro Spiritual, ‘‘ ’Tis Me, Oh Lord, Standin’ in the Need of 
Prayer’’—(Senior or Adult) 
8. Address on The Negro 


9. Recitation—‘‘The Least of These’’—(Senior or Adult) 


XII. Of€ering—Offertory Solo—“’Tis the Birthday of a King”— 
Niedlinger 


S&S Ol Re Ww 


The Christmas offering this year is for the Christian Centers in the con- 
gested districts of American cities where special needs of Children must 
be met or we shall lose strength as a nation. Provision for the support 
of this work is included in the regular budgets for the current year of 
The American Baptist Home Mission Society and the Woman’s Amer- 
ican Baptist Home Mission Society. 


XIII. Airship Exercise—Or Address by the Pastor 
XIV. Hymn—“Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne”—By the School 
XV. Benediction—By the Pastor 
XVI. Response—Sung softly by all 
Silent night, holy night, 
Wondrous Star, O lend thy light! 
With the angels let us sing 
Alleluia to our King! 


Jesus our Saviour is here. 
Amen. 


XVII. Organ Postluse—“Gloria in Excelsis Deo”—Dunham 


No. 160-M.E.-I-100M-October, 1923—Free 4 # 


